#please believe me

[mossy-crow0]

Gillion Tidestrider, Champion of the Undersea, Hero of the Deep, Pigeon Lord, The One, Warrior of Rock and Roll, Singer/Songwriter of Gillion and the Tidestriders' hit single "The Hole in Your Heart", Moisture Master, Horse Tamer, Defenestrator of the Adulterous, Friend of Dugon, Dugon's Best Friend, Walking Fish, Fish, Dirt Eater, Chum of Chibo and Chums, Co-Captain Gill of the Riptide Pirates, Co-captain of the Albatross, Companion of Pretzel, Paramount Champion, Knighter of Julian That One Time, Pretzel Carrier, Leviathan Tamer, Serpent Rider, Brother of Dugon, Healer of the Sick, Friend of Duke D Dukem Duke of Dooke, Eater of Grass, Beater of Ass, Grandma's Good Boy, Dismantler of Evil, Eater of Shit, Capitalism Hater, Royalty Assassinator, Sufferer of the Spice, Weed Eater, Slayer of Evil, Loffinlot Liberator, Fruitninja, Eater of Sand, Juice Enjoyer, Rescuer of John, Fishy, Bitcoin Miner, NFT Purchaser, Driplord, Grandmillion, The One Who Will Change The World, Grimm Slayer, In Need of a Dad, Goblin Gobbler, Lime Lord, Tuber, Chip's Nightmare Fuel, Monsoon And Moon Son, Eater of Ass, Pretzel Seeker, Vibe Master, Pussy Slayer, Murderer of Vice Admiral Kuba Kinta, Gillion Mother-fucking Titty-sucking Tidestrider, Egg Hater, Bong Obliterator, Baby signer, Babygirl

wow that’s a lot. anyway.

[a-drewid]

Sabriel as a ship is so funny to me, because on the surface it’s like ya they have funny interactions and it’s a silly crackship, but if u look deeper into it u realize that Gabriel is Sam’s perfect mirror, a wayward son who rebelled against his family and his destiny at every turn. They are both considered impure by the people around them, damaged by the world and by their choices. They might be the only two beings in the entire universe who can truly and fully understand each other. Anyway I think it would be rlly funny if they kissed on the lips.

[spooncritic]

We’ll never have sex by Leith Ross is huskerdust’s song btw and you cannot convince me otherwise

[cumulo-ghoulll]

Incorrect Ghost Quotes‼️

(pt. 117)

Rain: Next time you take us to see an opera, can you try and get tickets for Phantom Of The Opera?

Mountain: You do know that that's not an opera, right?

Aether: Just because it has the word opera in it doesn't mean it's an opera, Rain.

Rain: But they're opera singers!

Swiss: The story is based around an opera house but it's not a real opera!

Rain: what.

[shizunitis]

Luo Binghe & Tianlang-Jun: Origins. And a Bit of Projection.

Disclaimer: This is basically just a collection of quotes from The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, Volume 3, accompanied by (adjective) thoughts, and then even more relevant quotes listed at the end. If I could, I’d paste the entirety of Chapter 18.

“As expected, I can’t bring myself to hate humans.” — Vol. 3, Chapter 21: Always Together

I will always be conflicted on the topic of Tianlang-jun, and it annoys me. There is so much I could say about him, and so little I can successfully articulate. He is, to me, more confounding, complex and tragic than Shen Jiu.

He’s pitiful and awe-inspiring, wicked and affable, cunning and wide-eyed in his curiousity. He is a compelling, heartbreaking character. He alternates between emotionless wisdom and mournful apathy. I admire how his knees don’t buckle under the weight of his grief, but how he crumbles at the barest hint of hope. How rage claws at him and, still, he can’t figure out how to make it stick.

I empathise with him. I understand him.

But then, in the distance, Luo Binghe's indifferent voice disturbs the silence, causing me to drop my drink onto the floor and this post onto your screen:

“He’s not my father.”

It’s an interesting exercise, exploring their relationship in reconciliation fics. To see them interact (semi-)honestly, watch them take turns filling up the chasm between them. It’s wonderful. Every fic I’ve read centred around them was a delightful read that I still think about.

However. I cannot see Tianlang-Jun, as I understand him, as Luo Binghe’s father. And not just because of the 3rd Novel’s events.

But because Binghe had hoped for something; he did have that wide-eyed wonder. He did hold one last window open, for the sake of an improbability he couldn’t quite, just yet, dismiss.

It’s what (most) orphaned and/or adopted childred do.

Though Luo Binghe had never said a word about it before, Shen Qingqiu knew that he harbored some fantasies about his birth parents. […] In fact, he’d always secretly fantasized about whether his parents might still be alive, and how well they’d treat him, and how they’d never let him suffer the mildest slight. — Vol. 3, Chapter 17: Tianlang

It is the most human thing; to want to be helped, accepted, invited by those given to you. A family is given to you. Whether you believe it an act of the divine, of nature, of coincidence, it isn’t something you fight for. It’s the first and, arguably, only thing you don’t have to fight for in life.

Depending on a multitude of factors, that can be a blessing or a curse; but where there is room for interpretation, questions left unanswered, most childred—Binghe included—will turn to their imagination, and try to make sense of it. Usually, to comfort themselves, to reassure themselves that surely, if their family could, they would have.

And, yeah. Most likely, if the Palace Master had gotten punted into the Sun like he fucking deserved, they would have. But does it matter?

In the face of a bleak reality, what comfort is a could-have-been?

He liked to call Luo Binghe “that son of mine,” but he didn’t seem to possess any concept of fatherly affection. […] Luo Binghe was in fact…someone who was unloved by even his own parents. — Vol. 3, Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

What use are good intentions to an abandoned child? What consolation is it, to say, They gave birth to you, when that child has seen no evidence of their care? Does it dry their tears, that their mother can’t be here, but she surely would have wished to be? That their father would protect them, if only he knew of them?

(And don’t make me tell you about the visceral horror I felt reading the Origins chapter. I’ve yet to make my peace with it. MXTX, Airplane, whoever: you’ve ruined me.)

The washerwoman was and continues to be, to Binghe, his only mother. And I would argue, that’s healthy. Even independent of his other traumas (Abyss, Shizun’s betrayal, Xin Mo’s influence, living on the streets, etc, holy shit Binghe) Luo Binghe will not accept anyone else as his mother.

“Who is this Su Xiyan?” Luo Binghe asked coldly. “My mother was a mere washerwoman.” — Vol. 3, Chapter 18: Origins.

It may seem callous. It probably even is! But it is a healthy line he’d drawn by his own initiative. It’s what helps him, what he feels he needs to do in order to do right by his mother, and his own heart.

And! Tianlang-Jun doesn’t seem to give much of a shit, either!

Won’t, probably, even in the future, once the dust will have settled. He is exhausted, weary with carrying the corpse of his love, the loss of his nephew. Whatever goodwill he shows, it’s a perfunctory sort, because he can’t afford more.

So. Uhh.

Tianlang-Jun is not a character I can love, nor one I can hate. Usually, I can’t help but be inclined to love complex characters. Like them, too—though that’s more of an action-based thing rather than just said character’s personality.

But with Tianlang-Jun, I’m stuck whichever way I turn. If I want to love/like him, I’m drawn back by Binghe’s pain and disappointment. If I try to hate/dislike him, I’m drawn back by his own history and grief.

In conclusion:

I don't know! I'm not really trying to, like, prove anything. I still love the aforementioned TLJ & LBH fics, I still love their dynamic. I started walking and ended up exactly in the same space. This, perhaps, could be considered a Heavenly Demon Family Mobius Strip!

I'm not really trying to say anything. It just… makes me feel conflicted, and angry, and whenever I allow myself to think about it a bit more, sad.

But.

However!

Alas.

Nonetheless, even.

As a reader and—on my better days—a writer, all I can say is:

As promised/threatened: some selected passages, for your reading pleasure:

So, it looked like neither the father nor the cousin had any intention of acknowledging Luo Binghe. — Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

He liked to call Luo Binghe “that son of mine,” but he didn’t seem to possess any concept of fatherly affection. — Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

Tianlang-Jun lifted his hand, took a look at Luo Binghe’s snow-pale face, and commented indifferently, “He looks like his mother.” “His eyes look like yours,” came a chill voice from the side. — Chapter 15: Holy Mausoleum

The faint hopes and dreams Luo Binghe had held in his heart for many years had been mercilessly pulverized into so much dust. […] [Tianlang-Jun] refused to speak a single word of their relationship and had been utterly ruthless back in the Holy Mausoleum. […] To his parents, Luo Binghe was an unwanted child. — Chapter 18: Origins

“If he was my father, why didn’t he bring it up earlier? Why not tell me?” The most Tianlang-Jun had said was that single line he offered while beating up Luo Binghe, devoid of either praise or criticism: “He looks like his mother.” He looks like his mother. What of it? But that was all. There was nothing more. — Chapter 18: Origins

Luo Binghe was indifferent. “He’s not my father.” […] Luo Binghe shook his head. It was unclear what he was stubbornly clinging to, but he repeated, “He’s not my father.” — Chapter 18: Origins

Luo Binghe raised his smiling face, his eyes shining brightly. “Mother was the kindest person in all the world to me.” — Chapter 19: Shen Jiu

[tedshell]

most unserious ihnmaims relationship chart

to be honest, i could make a whole post on what i believe their relationship is like outside of the book/game. i think it'd be really interesting and fun to do.

easier to understand:

TED —

ellen: hate + fucking on the dl

benny: friends + hate

nimdok: hate

AM: hate + fucking on the dl

gorrister: fucking on the dl

ELLEN —

benny: friends

nimdok: friends

AM: hate

gorrister: friends + hate

ted: hate + fucking on the dl

BENNY —

nimdok: friends

AM: hate

gorrister: friends

ted: friends + hate

ellen: friends

NIMDOK —

AM: hate

gorrister: friends

ted: hate

ellen: friends

benny: friends

AM —

gorrister: hate

ted: hate + fucking on the dl

ellen: hate

benny: hate

nimdok: hate

GORRISTER —

ted: fucking on the dl

ellen: friends + hate

benny: friends

nimdok: friends

AM: hate

[pidglette]

@danielhowell @amazingphil where tf is my thank you video

[moriartyyoushouldseemeinacrown]

Just taking these out of context from the book I'm reading :3

[fruitymuffin]

Scooby doo shelf collection thing

[ethantheannus]

does anyone have one of those compilations of copia thrusting on stage. for. research purposes

[couchcouchcouchcouch]

[pointing at self in the mirror]

ooOOoOOooH is that a person obsessed with perfection who sets inhuman standards for themselves? Is that someone who craves deep and meaningful human connection but always feels just a little separated from the people they care about? That looks like someone who refuses help, refuses to acknowledge that there’s even a problem. Bet you love Hera from Wolf 359 HUH! DONTCHA!?

[turning away from the mirror and ignoring All That]

Boy I sure can’t wait to go listen to episode 41: Memoria from hit podcast Wolf 359 again and be really normal about it. As I often am.

[llilyrose]

officer i swear i don't have a favorite pokemon this just appeared in my art folder trust

[dearest-and-nearest]

I think it says a lot about me that I made up the whole Glass, Bhaal, incest and noncon mess just for one joke.

After having intimacy with Gortash, Glassred was supposed to tell him “Wow! You're even better at this than Father”.

THAT'S ALL.

[theleiren]

LOS WIWIS GENTE, LOS WIWIS

okkkkkkkk This is a redraw from last year bc they needed an Outfit Update

[snowysoong]

smile :)

[tallovines]

talloran is sooooo spinkly

STARTS SCREAMING

I NEED TO KISS THEM

BAD.

STARTS SQUEALING, JUMPING, AND TWIRLING AROUND

OUGHHH… NOBODY LOVES THEM LIKE I DO…

DEAR RESEARCHER JAMES MARTIN TALLORAN, PLEASE LET ME KISS YOU…